Jayson Vemoa, known in the Marital Arts K-1 scene as Supercharge, is a former NZ Kickboxing champion,
South Pacific, Commonwealth, Intercontinental and former World Kickboxing Champion.
Supercharge is one of the components to Ray Sefo’s training squad – Team Sefo and is a current trainer to the Brazilian K-1 kicking sensation Glaube Feitosa who placed 2nd in Nov 2005 K-1 Grand Prix World Finals in Tokyo. Supercharge was recently appointed as a Head Kickboxing Instructor at the Ichigeki Academy in Japan with the International Kyokushin Organization where he is training their Karate World Champions from all over the world preparing them for K-1 competition.
K-1 USA Champion 2005 – Glaube Feitosa (Brazil)
Supercharge using his experience as an International Fighter moved into the training scene as an International Trainer and sparring partner with Team Sefo, cornering for K-1 Superstar Ray Sefo in the K-1 Grand Prix circuit throughout Japan.
After this successful period in 2003 Ray Sefo appointed Supercharge as his Head Martial Arts Instructor at the Sefo Fight Academy in West Auckland NZ, teaching kickboxing and boxing with Tavita Tai.
From the Sefo Fight Academy, Supercharge built up professional fighters training them to take top honors to win the NZ K-1 2003 crown with Rony Sefo and then in the following year to win the K-1 NZ Max 2004 crown with Jordan Tai, also helping Jordan to represent NZ in the K-1 Max World Eliminations 2004, Japan.
Broadening his horizons Supercharge then helped Manu Samoa Rugby coach and All Black rugby legend, Micheal Jones “Iceman”. Using kickboxing training as cross training for the World Rugby 2004 Manu Samoa Rugby Squad at the Ray Sefo Fight Academy.
Supercharge then went on to help All Black great Jonah Lomu with kickboxing training, appearing in a NZ Documentary with him on the rehabilitation training process for Jonah’s successful kidney transplant operation
With Jonah Lomu in K-1
Supercharge was then lured out of international competition retirement June 2004 to fight in the Gold Coast, Australia only to lose to Light heavyweight World WMC Champion Nathan “Carnage” Corbett. Continuing with his comeback he fought in the NZ K-1 Nov 2004 in a Light Heavyweight K-1 contest in an exciting match outclassing and winning against NZ Champion Aaron Boyes from Strike Force but then he lost his next fight to upcoming fighter “Smok’in” Joe White from City Lee Gar.
2005 he returned back to the international training scene in Japan as a sparring partner for
Ray Sefo for Sefo’s K-1 elimination 2005 with Kaokali (Thailand), which Sefo won convincingly.
Helping Ray Sefo in K-1
Supercharge recently returned from Japan to NZ over the Christmas holiday period for a couple weeks where I was fortunate to catch up with him.
He had just finished sparring Jordan Tai at the Sefo Fight Academy in preparation for Tai’s fight in January for Super League (Budapest).
TP: You have been in Japan training Glaube Feitosa from Brazil, helping him take2nd place in the K-1 Grand Prix World Finals 2005. How did you progress from a fighter to training fighters?
Supa: Good question. I think I just happen to somehow bring out the best in particular fighters. To be honest I actually never wanted to be a trainer, I just evolved into this role as mother nature is telling me, that I can‘t fight forever (laughs). My nature is to help people and I used this to pass on my knowledge and experience I used to get my championship titles onto the fighters I train. They take what they need and use it, so far it’s been good (laughs). Being a top level fighter I realized you need a good team behind you, just ask any of the great champions today. I am just living my dream. I feel I have been blessed to be able to help these fighters in their careers to win championships. Winning championships myself was great, but now I feel I’m at different level and find it even more fulfilling helping others to achieve their dreams. Their dreams become my own, it feels weird but it feels good. Evolution I guess.(laughs). I think it is every trainers dream to train a champion. I have been blessed to have many highlights early in my training career helping train fighters.
K-1 Grand Prix Finalist 2002 (3rd place) – Ray Sefo (NZ)
NZ K-1 Champion 2003 – Rony Sefo (NZ)
NZ K-1 Max Champion 2004 – Jordan Tai (NZ)
K-1 USA Champion 2005 – Glaube Feitosa (Brazil)
K-1 Grand Prix Finalist (2nd place) 2005 – Glaube Feitosa (Brazil)
Training Glaube Feitosa has been a great experience, helping him reach the K-1 Grand Prix final. I currently train Kyokushin Karate World Champion fighters preparing them for K-1 competition at the Ichigeki Academy in Japan for the International Kyokushin Organization with another Kiwi, Faii Falamoe my Sempai and a Head Boxing Instructor at the Ichigeki Academy.
K-1 Grand Prix Finalist 2005 – Glaube Feitosa
Kyokushin have done well in K-1, their first being Francisco Filho (Brazil) and now Glaube Feitosa (Brazil), and soon an upcoming fighter, Alex Pichkunov (Russia).
TP: Ichigeki- what does this mean?
Supa: Ichigeki, translating from Japanese to English literally means One Strike One Kill. The name was given by the Japanese to Filho Francisco when had a streak of wins over famous K-1 fighters like Ernesto Hoost and Andy Hug with one strike KO’s. Hence the name stayed with Filho and his team – Team Ichigeki. Kyokushin embraces the idea of one strike to KO. A specialist KO team was selected and developed over the following years made up of Kyokushin fighters, specially trained to represent Kyokushin in the sport fighting arenas, such as K-1. An academy then evolved to create and train these fighters. Filho and Glaube being the pioneers of this Ichigeki Academy. Kyokushin fighters who wish to enter K-1 to follow in the footsteps of these pioneers train there. Kyokushin World Champions are selected and brought to Japan from all over the world. Myself (NZ), Faii Falamoe (NZ) and Mauricio Da Silva (Brazil) develop these fighters forming Team Ichigeki.
TP: Supa you also went outside the circle so to speak training non fighters from different sporting codes. Like Manu Samoa 2004 and All Black Rugby legend Jonah Lomu. Can you tell us more about that?
Supa: Manu Samoa was great to work with, I was asked to do kickboxing as cross training for them at the Sefo Fight Academy. Micheal Jones, Vaiega Tuigimala were the coaches. Even David Tua came down to support. Training another World Class Team from another sporting code was a challenge but at the same time we had a lot of fun.
Jonah Lomu, all I can say, is that I didn’t train him. I trained “with Jonah” (laughs). He showed me a lot of great things too. It was one of the highlights in my life training with someone like him and there will be a time when I can enjoy telling my grandchildren about it. I was there with Jonah. I still couldn’t believe the exponential increase of his learning and his accelerated physical improvement that he took from our trainings. The only reason I actually believe it happened is because they have it on film going around the world on the Discovery channel (laughs). A lot of people say things about his rugby. I am one of the firm believers for Jonah to bring back the World Rugby 2008 Cup to NZ. He is a true fighter and peoples champion, giving hope and being living proof too all, with inspiration and strength to fight on against all the odds and beat it.
TP: Well thanks for the update Supercharge. Good luck for 2006 in Japan and we hope you keep us posted. It’s good to know that Kiwi’s are well represented in the Mecca of K-1, Japan.
Supa: No worries, it’s been a pleasure. Domo Arigato Gozaimasu (thank you in Japanese). Good luck for the Kiwi’s in the upcoming K-1 GP World Series NZ in March 2006, and to my bro Jordan representing NZ hard in Hungary. Hopefully we will see some more Kiwi’s follow Ray Sefo and Mark Hunt in their footsteps, and as they say here in K-1 “All roads lead to the Dome”. Osu.
For latest updates on this Kiwi you can go to www.supercharge.co.nz.
